description
Object description
British boy telegraphist served aboard HMS Delhi in West Indies, Pacific and Mediterranean, 1932-1934; served aboard HMS Durban in Mediterranean, 1934; served aboard HMS Selkirk and HMS Westcott in GB coastal waters, 1935- 1936; served aboard HMS Beagle in Atlantic and Mediterranean during Spanish Civil War, 1936-1937; served aboard HMS Norfolk in Indian Ocean, 1937-1939; petty officer served aboard HMS Devonshire in Atlantic, during Norwegian campaign and Arctic, 1939-1942; served aboard HMS Cadmus in Mediterranean, 1942-1944; served on shore duties at HMS St Angelo on Malta, 1944-1945; served as instructor with HMS Scotia, Ayr, GB, 1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Bargoed, GB, 1918-1931: family; education. Aspects of enlistment and training as boy telegraphist at HMS Ganges, Shotley, GB, 1931: appendicitis outbreak from enamel mugs. Recollections of period as boy telegraphist in West Indies, Pacific and Mediterranean, 1932-1934: joining ship as boy telegraphist; painting ship in Acapulco; relations with German Navy, 1932; oiling problems at Vancouver; visit to copper mining area of Canada and how petty officer was awarded Albert Medel; fraternisation with US 1st Cavalry at Monterey; effects of Jamaican hurricane; work as wireman intercepting Russian signals; joining Mediterranean Fleet, 10/1932; visit to Tobruk, Libya, 1934; intelligence gathering at Valona, Albania; patrolling off Palestine to intercept refugee ships; visits to Monte Carlo, 1934. Aspects of period as telegraphist aboard HMS Durban in Mediterranean, 1934: drafting to ship; memories of Lord Louis Mountbatten's speed boat in Grand Harbour, Malta, 1934.
REEL 2 Continues: other details of Lord Louis Mountbatten's activities. Aspects of period as telegraphist aboard HMS Selkirk in GB coastal waters, 1935: Fleet Review at Cowes, 1935. Aspects of period as telegraphist aboard HMS Westcott in GB coastal waters, 1935-1936: problems with currents at Portland; picking up message from Zeppelin on maiden flight to US; method of curing his seasickness. Aspects of period as telegraphist aboard HMS Beagle in Atlantic and Mediterranean during Spanish Civil War, 1936-1937: break down of ship in Bay of Biscay and under tow from HMS Brazen; damage to HMS Royal Oak in storm, 1936; rescue of British refugees at Malaga and Alicante; funeral of Deutschland casualties at Gibraltar; confrontation with Nationalist ship Canarias in attempt to protect Potato Jones at Bilbao; picking up British agent at Bermeo; stripping of nuns by Moorish cavalry at Bermeo; sight of executions at La Coruna; sinking of Republican Jaime Primero by German aircraft and rescue of survivors. Recollections of period as telegraphist aboard HMS Norfolk in Indian Ocean, 1937-1939: drafting to ship, 11/1937.
REEL 3 Continues: malaria bout in Aden, 12/1937; Admiral Bertram 'Black' Ramsey leading Empire Day parade in Calcutta, 1/1938; method black rats used to get aboard ship at Karachi; ceremony at time of signing of Sheikh's oil concession to British Petroleum; how damage to Westland Wapiti aircraft thwarted Shah of Persia's flight, 1938; dealing with rats' nest on board ship; temporary evacuation of ship whilst ship was fumigated in Ceylon. Recollections of operations as petty officer telegraphist aboard HMS Devonshire in Atlantic, during Norwegian campaign and Arctic, 1939- 1942: swapping of ship's company with HMS Norfolk, 5/1939; brief leave period on arrival in Plymouth, autumn 1939; duties on Northern Patrol, late 1939; near accidental firing on HMS Newcastle, 25/12/1939; reasons for seaman mutiny on board, 1/1/1940.
REEL 4 Continues: reception from Salvation Army at Rosyth, 2/1940; how previous discontent was dealt with on board, 2/1940; German Junkers Ju 87 Stuka attacks on ship after bombarding Stavanger during Norwegian campaign, 4/1940; damage to HMS Suffolk off Stavanger; under German Air Force attack during evacuation of British troops from Namsos; sight of sinking of HMS Afridi, 4/1940; shooting down of ship's Supermarine Walrus, 8/6/1940; evacuation of Norwegian Royal Family from Tromso, 8/6/1940; receiving message from sinking HMS Glorious, 6/1940; question of Admiral Andrew Cunningham's later outline of events.
REEL 5 Continues: opinion of Admiral Andrew Cunningham's handling of affair; escorting ships picking up Brewster Buffaloes from Halifax, Nova Scotia, 7/1940; security leak at Greenock prior to Dakar Raid, 9/1940; question of failure of Dakar Raid, 9/1940; fatal accident to crew member at Duala, West Africa; effect on petty officer of experiences in Liverpool Blitz, spring 1941; escorting British Military Mission to Archangel, 7/1941; narrow escape from being located by German Air Force on Franz Josef Island; Captain Oliver's request to buy a powerful radio receiver in Liverpool; hunting for German raiders in South Atlantic and success against Atlantis.
REEL 6 Continues: behaviour of Australian troops in Cape Town, 1941; Admiral Hipper's successful attack on Atlantic convoy; ashore in Durban, 12/1941; memories of Captain Tait VC in Belfast on return to GB, 2/1942, 2/1942. Recollections of operations as petty officer telegraphist aboard HMS Cadmus in Mediterranean, 1942-1944: story of ordering drink with politically incorrect name in Belfast prior to joining ship, 2/1942; role of ship in Operation Torch, 11/1942; minesweeping during entry into Algiers; hostility of crew to Italian airman in sea during Italian air raid; rescue of survivors from sea near Bougie; seaman who shot down four German aircraft at Bougie, 11/1942; loss of HMS Samphire near Bone; reasons for friction between British and US troops over Longstop Hill; presence of Charlotte goose aboard ship at Bizerta; damage to HMS Fantome by mines at Cape Bon.
REEL 7 Continues: amputation of wounded chief petty officer's legs from HMS Fantome; collection of silk parachutes from dead airmen; minesweeping duties during Salerno landings, 9/1943; German hit on Landing Craft Gun at Salerno, 9/1942; amusing story of accident in which captain was shot through the buttocks during air attack, 1943; hospitalisation for papilla near Naples, 1944; incident when Prime Minister Churchill was booed by crew of destroyer at Capri, 7/1944; further hospitalisation for papilla in 94th General Hospital in Naples, 8/1944; German Air Force skip bombing attack on ship during minesweeping in Gulf of Gaeta, winter 1943-1944.
REEL 8 Continues: his wish to leave ship, 9/1944. Aspects of period as petty officer on shore duties on Malta, 1944-1945: voyage to Malta aboard HMS Orion, 9/1944; duties at HMS St Angelo; change in attitude of Maltese civilians after danger had passed, 1/1945; encounter with column of rats. Aspects of period as instructor at HMS Scotia, Ayr, GB, 1945: return to GB, 3/1945; character of camp; dealing with indiscipline amongst pupils. Fate of Royal Navy straggler in lorry load of Wrens in Petersfield, 1942. Story of how survivors of St Nazaire Raid had wanted to kill captured French fishermen who were thought to have tipped off Germans, 3/1942.
